Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series

Amazon.com

As of its release in early 2007, Planet Earth is quite simply the greatest nature/wildlife series ever produced. Following the similarly monumental achievement of The Blue Planet: Seas of Life, this astonishing 11-part BBC series is brilliantly narrated by Sir David Attenborough and sensibly organized so that each 50-minute episode covers a specific geographical region and/or wildlife habitat (mountains, caves, deserts, shallow seas, seasonal forests, etc.) until the entire planet has been magnificently represented by the most astonishing sights and sounds you'll ever experience from the comforts of home. The premiere episode, "From Pole to Pole," serves as a primer for things to come, placing the entire series in proper context and giving a general overview of what to expect from each individual episode. Without being overtly political, the series maintains a consistent and subtle emphasis on the urgent need for ongoing conservation, best illustrated by the plight of polar bears whose very behavior is changing (to accommodate life-threatening changes in their fast-melting habitat) in the wake of global warming--a phenomenon that this series appropriately presents as scientific fact. With this harsh reality as subtext, the series proceeds to accentuate the positive, delivering a seemingly endless variety of natural wonders, from the spectacular mating displays of New Guinea's various birds of paradise to a rare encounter with Siberia's nearly-extinct Amur Leopards, of which only 30 remain in the wild.

That's just a hint of the marvels on display. Accompanied by majestic orchestral scores by George Fenton, every episode is packed with images so beautiful or so forcefully impressive (and so perfectly photographed by the BBC's tenacious high-definition camera crews) that you'll be rendered speechless by the splendor of it all. You'll see a seal struggling to out-maneuver a Great White Shark; swimming macaques in the Ganges delta; massive flocks of snow geese numbering in the hundreds of thousands; an awesome night-vision sequence of lions attacking an elephant; the Colugo (or "flying lemur"--not really a lemur!) of the Philippines; a hunting alliance of fish and snakes on Indonesia's magnificent coral reef; the bioluminescent "vampire squid" of the deep oceans... these are just a few of countless highlights, masterfully filmed from every conceivable angle, with frequent use of super-slow-motion and amazing motion-controlled time-lapse cinematography, and narrated by Attenborough with his trademark combination of observational wit and informative authority. The result is a hugely entertaining series that doesn't flinch from the predatory realities of nature (death is a constant presence, without being off-putting), and each episode ends with 10-minute "Planet Earth Diaries" (exclusive to this DVD set) that cover a specific aspect of production, like "Diving with Pirahnas" or "Into the Abyss" (the latter showing the rigors of filming the planet's most spectacular caves, including the last filming ever officially permitted in the "Chandelier Ballroom," a crystal-encrusted cavern found over a mile deep in New Mexico's treacherous Lechuguilla, the deepest cave in the continental United States.)

With so many of Earth's natural wonders on display, it's only fitting that the final DVD in this five-disc set is devoted to Planet Earth: The Future, a separate three-part series in which a global array of experts is assembled to discuss issues of conservation, protection of delicate ecosystems, and the socio-economic benefits of understanding nature as a commodity that returns trillions of dollars in value at no cost to Earth's human population. At a time when the multiple threats of global warming should be obvious to all, let's give Sir David the last word, from the closing of Planet Earth's final episode: "We can now destroy or we can cherish--the choice is ours." --Jeff Shannon

More Planet Earth

Planet Earth on Blu-ray
Planet Earth on HD DVD
More BBC DVDs

Stills from Planet Earth (click for larger image)

Description

With an unprecedented production budget of $25 million, and from the makers of Blue Planet: Seas of Life, comes the epic story of life on Earth. Five years in production, over 2,000 days in the field, using 40 cameramen filming across 200 locations, shot entirely in high definition, this is the ultimate portrait of our planet. A stunning television experience that captures rare action, impossible locations and intimate moments with our planet's best-loved, wildest and most elusive creatures. From the highest mountains to the deepest rivers, this blockbuster series takes you on an unforgettable journey through the daily struggle for survival in Earth's most extreme habitats. Planet Earth takes you to places you have never seen before, to experience sights and sounds you may never experience anywhere else.

DVD Features:
Other:110 minutes of behind the scenes footage - one 10-minute behind the scenes program for each episode (SD release only)
Documentary:Planet Earth - The Future: This 3-part, 2 1/2 hour series looks at what the future may hold for endangered animals, habitats and -- ultimately -- ourselves. Following the environmental issues raised by Planet Earth, it asks why so many species are threatened and how they can be protected in future. (SD release only)

Customer Reviews:

Monumental achievement.......2007-09-17

I wasn't crazy about the narration but the photography is over the top. Especially on a large screen. Definitely one of the best series in our collection, cutting edge photography. A nice Christmas present for a family.

Great video to freak you out about your new HDTV.......2007-09-16

OK its a great video with some of the best pictures I have ever seen. That being said its full of "noise" in the middle of shots. (for many people like me this was the first hd content to run on my system and I thougt my tv was busted or something) If you don't bealive my word for it do a search on the internet for mosquito noise in planet earth HD-DVD and blue-ray. Overall, its great and at this price I would buy it again.

my 2 cents.......2007-09-13

My son (4 1/2 yr) loved the DVD. He watched it a lot. Worth the money and an excellent collection to be added to the library.

Very Fun.......2007-09-13

After watching several of the issues on TV I knew I really wanted this series. My whole family enjoys it.

Amazing and revealing. .......2007-09-12

The images on the documentary are incredible, nature as it is. And shows new animal behaviors never seen before.

The Blue Planet - Seas of Life Collector's Set (Parts 1-4)

Average customer rating:

Creates wonder in our natural world
Wonderful!
Just like Planet Earth
samuel greinke review blue planet
awesome

The Blue Planet - Seas of Life Collector's Set (Parts 1-4)
Director: Alastair Fothergill
Manufacturer: BBC Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Nature & Wildlife | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

7-9 Years | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

10-12 Years | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Documentary | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000069HXC
Release Date: 2002-08-27

Product Description

Come explore years of incredible undersea photography and breathtaking views into a world we share. Choose four DVDs or four VHS tapes. Seasonal Seas/Cral Seas, Tidal Seas/Coasts, Ocean World/Frozen Seas, The Open Ocean and The Deep. Two titles per disc or tape. (Some scenes may be graphic in nature.)

Amazon.com

Extraordinary footage and eloquent narration by David Attenborough highlight the BBC's remarkable wildlife series The Blue Planet: Seas of Life. "Ocean World" begins with astonishing views of a gigantic blue whale--the elusive Holy Grail of undersea photography--and the marvels continue to demonstrate the power, diversity, and profound ecological influence of Earth's oceans. "Frozen Seas" examines whales, walruses, penguins, and other creatures under the extreme conditions of the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. The next two episodes are even better. "Open Ocean" travels thousands of miles into the vast "liquid desert," where currents determine how the ocean's diverse life forms will assume their places in the food chain. More amazing, "The Deep" descends with a state-of-the-art submersible to the ocean's abyssal plain and beyond, filming such bizarre creatures as the fangtooth, bioluminescent jellies, transparent squid, the giant-mouthed gulper eel, and the never-before-seen hairy angler fish.

"Seasonal Seas" focuses on the explosion of life that accompanies every annual blooming of plankton, numbering in the countless billions and captured here with brilliant microphotography. In "Coral Seas," miles-long reefs of living coral are explored, from deep within (requiring brief computer animation) to the surrounding environs, where you'll see white-tipped sharks in a feeding frenzy while beautiful harlequin shrimp wrestle with a starfish. "Tidal Seas" explores the myriad life forms that thrive when lunar gravity pulls the oceans offshore. "Coasts" is easily the most brutal episode, but no less mesmerizing. The most unexpected, and horrifying, sequence is the orca, earning its "killer whale" nickname by capturing, killing, and tail-tossing a seal pup--a sequence so mysteriously primal that even the most seasoned marine biologist will be utterly amazed. One of the finest wildlife programs you're ever likely to see, The Blue Planet: Seas of Life provides the privilege of visiting a truly alien world teeming with the rarest wonders of nature. The series was recut into the feature-length Deep Blue in 2005. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Creates wonder in our natural world.......2007-09-16

Stunning photography. Brilliant choices of subjects. Amazing insights into the world beneath the surface of the oceans that comprise the majority of our planet and are so significant to the continuation of all life. This series should create awe, wonder, humility, and even reverence for the beauty, savagery, and mystery of the seas.

Wonderful!.......2007-09-13

My husband and I stayed up til after midnight watching these DVD's!!!! It was hard to turn off the T.V. and walk away from as they were just soooo facinating and phenomenal footage!!!! I highly recommend this just as enjoyable as Planet Earth!

Just like Planet Earth.......2007-09-10

We have both series - Planet Earth and Blue Planet. Both are outstanding collections and must haves for anyone. Our kids love them as well and have become a learning tool alongside other PBS and Discovery Channel type shows. It is absolutely amazing work and narrated well to boot.

samuel greinke review blue planet.......2007-09-06

by samuel greinke
This series has superb cinematography, but still holds a second to the Planet Earth series. Ocean life exists deep down and in places least expexcted and this series shows it all.
I recommend it.

Samuel Grienke

awesome.......2007-08-28

just awesome. this documentary about sea life is an in depth look about patterns, behaviors, natural habitats, etc and they do it in such a way that has your eyes and ears stuck to the tv set. visually stunning.

Average customer rating:

tull by the lake
Fantastic video of Tull onstage in '03
Great Performance dvd
Strange set list and a disjointed performance
The Best Live Tull DVD Released Yet!

Jethro Tull: Live at Montreux
Starring: Jethro Tull
Manufacturer: Eagle Vision USA
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000T9FUZC
Release Date: 2007-08-21

Description

Jethro Tull is one of the most successful British acts of all time with a career reaching from the late sixties to the present day. In 2003 they made their first (and so far only) visit to the Montreux Festival. Split into a semi-acoustic first half and a full on electric second half, the concert was a triumph combining newer songs such as "Dot Com", "Pavane" and "Budapest" with classic favorites. As ever Ian Anderson leads from the front with his instantly recognizable voice and inimitable style of one-legged flute playing.

Tracklisting 1) Some Day The Sun Won't Shine For You 2) Life Is A Long Song 3) BourÃ©e (Version de NoÃ«l) 4) With You There To Help Me 5) Pavane 6) Empty CafÃ© 7) Hunting Girl 8) Eurology 9) Dot Com 10) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 11) Fat Man 12) Living In The Past 13) Nothing Is Easy 14) Beside Myself 15) My God 16) Budapest 17) New Jig 18) Aqualung 19) Locomotive Breath

Customer Reviews:

tull by the lake.......2007-09-16

Jethro Tull: Live at Montreux

very very nice recording of a latter day tull concert. being a 30+year fan i was a little skeptical of this disc. i actually saw a show a few weeks after this in the states my most recent one. sometimes a show is not as good a listen as being there such the reason to attend live concerts especially with a band so late in their career.(tull however is one of the few bands which has never really put out a bad record) anyways its a great price the sound is great and though the song selection is redundant it is a nice addition to the library.

Fantastic video of Tull onstage in '03.......2007-09-04

Jethro Tull is one such act where the same kind of break-neck energy found within the tattered fringes of punk rock co-exists inside virtuoso instrumentation and arrangements. Singer-flautist-co-founder Ian Anderson loves the art of adding several notes of flute and voice at the drop of a sage's hat, and his tendency for ad-libbing can seen and heard on the new DVD, "Jethro Tull -- Live at Montreux 2003," released by Eagle Rock Entertainment.
"Jethro Tull music has always retained a degree of improvisation," the 60-year-old Anderson told me on the telephone recently. "Even structured music has space for improvisation. All members of the band have an opportunity to change notes, and that's always fun."
Led by Anderson and longtime guitarist Martin Barre, Tull sounds tremendous throughout the new DVD, which will shoot shivers of excitement through the faithful and uninitiated alike, both with acoustic numbers and electric guitar-driven tracks.
Anderson selected a near-perfect set list for the new live DVD. It shows the way he and Tull inject adrenaline and inspiration into 19 of their most beloved tracks on the new DVD, which also is available as a double-compact disc set. As the DVD plays, it's little surprising that "Living in the Past," "Aqualung," "Locomotive Breath," "Empty Cafe" and "Life is a Long Song" sound so relevant and feisty, even though the bulk of the video's tracks were first recorded in the late 1960s and 1970s. Bassist Jonathan Noyce, drummer Doane Perry and keyboardist Andrew Giddings round out the quintet as Anderson rotates between flute and acoustic guitar.
"I try to be inventive with time signatures when writing, and there's new pieces of music that tests the limits of the musicians, which is exciting," Anderson told me. "I'm just grateful for people to give us something of a chance live, and to want to see a one-legged flute player."
Equipped with one of the most recognizable guitar riffs in all of rock music, the song "Aqualung" builds in intensity and the punchy "Fat Man" is ironic without ever being too aware of itself. Yet it's the quieter moments on the DVD, particularly the perfect, should-have-been-a-No.1-hit "Budapest" and the holiday-themed "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "Bouree (Version de Noel)," that hit the deepest. Framed by Anderson's acoustic, appropriately crystal-like guitar playing, "Budapest" is a prime example of how Tull weaves classical influences into blues, folk and Mediterranean sounds. The track originally appeared on Tull's 1987 album, "Crest of a Knave," which edged past the gamblers' favorite, Metallica's "... And Justice for All," to win the first-ever Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album Award in 1988.
Check out this DVD. They might not play with quite the fire they had in 1972, but they have a lot of energy and class left in them.

Great Performance dvd.......2007-08-27

This is Tull's best dvd effort. Superb audio and video, in my opinion. Ian Anderson may be the most under-rated rock icon out there. He is tops in my book (even when he says some off-color things.....which he always does). I'd love to sit in a living room with Ian for a couple of hours and talk. I bet he's got stories and insights that would keep you totally captivated. Also, it was wonderful that Tull included a song from the old "Benefit" album. "Benefit" is a great, and yet, over-looked masterpiece.

Strange set list and a disjointed performance.......2007-08-27

It's always great to get the opportunity for new Tull footage so I can see why the other reviews are so positive. The DVD production values are
excellent. There are some strange moments for me, which seem to center around the drumming and timing. Hard to articulate but for me the group just seemed "off" at times. "EMPTY CAFE" was a highlight for me...instrumental off Martin's solo album. It was nice to see that on the DVD. I am not real pleased with the performance on the DVD and upon reading between the lines in the liner -notes maybe Ian Anderson wasn't either.?

The Best Live Tull DVD Released Yet!.......2007-08-26

I've been a fan of Jethro Tull for 28 years, and have literally grown up with their music. Even after seeing them in concert numerous times, I have always thought how great it would be to have "a concert" to take home with me (visuals and all). This DVD fulfills that desire in a way not quite accomplished by previous Tull DVDs, which intercut interviews or special effects into the flow of the concert itself, which rather disrupted the atmosphere in places.

This disc is the concert from start to finish, very well filmed and recorded, with a superb performance from the group. I personally think that Jethro Tull continue to grow and explore new musical territory under the leadership of Ian Anderson, and this concert expertly blends all the group's styles and influences, from rock to folk to jazz to new age and blues and back again... Tull have always been hard to categorize, but there is something for everyone in the group's diverse fanbase to cherish here.

Everyone in the group gets a chance to shine, with Ian Anderson's flute playing well to the fore and sounding better than ever. It's also nice to see Martin Barre perform his acoustic instrumental "Empty Cafe," a little gem not available on DVD before.

I would recommend this to committed fans as well as to people unfamiliar with the group; it's a great introduction to the multi-faceted Jethro Tull.

Average customer rating:

An improbable association
D.A.M. is all I can say.....
The Odd Couple
Different
Simmering Deep South Style

Black Snake Moan
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson , Christina Ricci , Justin Timberlake , S. Epatha Merkerson , and John Cothran Jr.
Director: Craig Brewer
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000PY52EU
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Amazon.com

The lurid scenario--a nymphomaniacal white trash nymphet (Christina Ricci) is held prisoner by a bitter bluesman (Samuel L. Jackson)--gives way to an affecting tale of redemption in Black Snake Moan, writer/director Craig Brewer's follow-up to the acclaimed Hustle & Flow. Lazarus (Jackson, Jungle Fever, Pulp Fiction) finds Rae (Ricci, Monster, The Ice Storm) beaten unconscious on the road in front of his backwoods house. After bringing her inside, he learns of her wanton ways and decides to exorcise his own demons by curing Rae of her sexual compulsion. Black Snake Moan could have been terrible, but Brewer takes his story seriously enough to dig into the genuine emotions of such a situation (though along the way he certainly flirts with sexploitation overtones--several scenes look like they were plucked straight out of a hitherto unknown 1970s trash classic). Ricci, Jackson, and the supporting cast (including pop star Justin Timberlake, giving a surprisingly good performance as Rae's boyfriend) treat the characters with respect, honesty, and humor. The result is off-kilter and maybe a little too fond of its sleazy cinematic forbears to truly hit the emotional notes it's after, but Black Snake Moan has considerably more substance than its marketing would suggest. --Bret Fetzer

Beyond Black Snake Moan

The Soundtrack
More Music Stars on DVD
More DVDs with Samuel L. Jackson

Stills from Black Snake Moan (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

An improbable association.......2007-09-16

The talented Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci both shine brightly as the main characters in the unlikely union of two abandoned individuals in the Craig Brewer directed drama, "Black Snake Moan".

Jackson stars as religious Southern farmer and erstwhile blues guitarist Lazarus who has been cuckolded by his wife for his brother. Jackson finds the severely beaten, half naked Ricci lying unconscious beside the road near his house. Ricci playing the lewd, lascivious town trollop Rae has been for years subjected to physical and sexual abuse. She'd also been abandoned by ber boyfriend, the anxiety ridden Ronnie played nicely by Justin Timberlake.

Jackson takes Ricci in determined to heal her and also exorcise the demons within her making her nymphomaniacal. Chaining her to the radiator he along with lifelong friend and preacher Reverend R.L. played by John Cothran Jr. strive to use religion to cure Ricci.

Ricci and Jackson provide each other with solace and rejuvenation as Jackson once again picks up his long forgotten guitar and Ricci is on her way towards normalcy in her life.

The movie which ended in satisfying but incredulous fashion provided for closure in the revitalization of two potential wasted lives.

D.A.M. is all I can say............2007-09-15

and that is an acronym for dumb @ZZ movie. Jackson and Ricci's performances were on point. Timberlake's was only so-so but at least he was believable. Actually, the only problem that I had with this movie was the writing and the jumbled plot. The cast was there but the writers and the directors must have been on vacation. So much more could have been done with this film. I was just not impressed. I give it 2.5 stars for the cast.

The Odd Couple.......2007-09-13

Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci are two of my favorite screen actors. They're both quirky iconoclasts who occasionally make studio films, but always seem to really shine in offbeat, smaller pictures. The relationship between their two characters, Lazarus and Rae, is the heart and focus of this film. Both characters have been wounded by sex in ways that strangely complement one another: Lazarus has been betrayed by his cold, promiscuous wife, and Rae's history of sexual abuse has brought about her character's uncontrollable sexual compulsion.

Lazarus and Rae meet when Rae is beaten and left unconscious by the side of the road after humiliating one of the many suitors who take advantage of her compulsive promiscuity. Lazarus nurses her back to health, and then feels a self-righteous desire to "cure" her of her "illness", however, it is clear that he is trying to save himself somehow as much as he is trying to save her.

As much as Ricci and Jackson carry the film, a lot of credit is also owed to the soundtrack. The blues music wonderfully complements the emotions and circumstances of the two tormented characters. The songs speaks of sex, betrayal, sadness and redemption; the perfect musical complement to the themes of the film.

Different.......2007-09-07

Jackson was very good, as usual, but the plot was pretty contrived. I found I was paying more attention to the sound track (which is outstanding) than the story line.

Simmering Deep South Style.......2007-09-04

Once you get over the initial seemingly ridiculous plotline of this film there is a lot of enjoyment to be had. Christina Ricci plays an incredibly brave role as a nymphomaniac who is left for dead on the side of the road after one two many sexual trists. Samuel L Jackson plays the damaged but moral rescuer who chains her to the radiator in his house and attempts to cure her wicked ways. There is some great tunes in this film with ol Samuel belting out some of his own along the way which i must admit is pretty darn good. Justin Timberlake again impresses as the anxiety ridden and troubled boyfriend of Ricci's character whose actions will have consequences for everybody. As silly as it sounds this film is well written and terrifically performed and has a very moral and decent undercurrent flowing throughout and has a lot to say about the healing power of love and care and redemption. Recommended for those who are after something a bit different and not just an excuse to watch Christina Ricci wonder around half naked for most of the film.

Average customer rating:

Touching and Uplifting
I stand in awe
A very well-acted, well written, and well directed movie
Outstanding Movie
Movie in Tolerance and Inspiration

Freedom Writers (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Hilary Swank , Patrick Dempsey , Scott Glenn , Imelda Staunton , and April L. Hernandez
Director: Richard LaGravenese
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000NOK1KM
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Amazon.com

Though the "inspirational teacher" theme may feel done to death, Freedom Writers succeeds because it emphasizes the students as much as the teacher. Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby, Boys Don't Cry) comes to a southern California high school bubbling over with naive optimism, but quickly discovers that her unruly classroom isn't easily won over by her good intentions. After a few floundering attempts to connect with her students, Gruwell gives them the assignment of keeping journals about their own lives--an assignment that the class bites into with relish, which eventually bonds them together and pushes racial rivalries aside. This plotline has been made before, sometimes well, sometimes poorly; Freedom Writers, by drawing heavily from the published journals of the students--and thanks to a (mostly) unheroic script, direction that emphasizes individual characters over stereotypes, and rigorous performances from the whole cast--makes the story seem fresh and genuine. Swank does solid work, but the standouts are April L. Hernandez as a girl whose gang wants her to lie and send an innocent boy to jail and Imelda Staunton (Vera Drake) as a teacher who resents Gruwell's offbeat success. Also featuring Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy), Scott Glenn (The Right Stuff), and a plethora of strong young actors. --Bret Fetzer

Beyond Freedom Writers

More Inspirational Teacher Films on DVD
The Freedom Writers Diary
by Erin Gruwell
More DVDs Starring Hilary Swank

Stills from Freedom Writers (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

Touching and Uplifting.......2007-09-16

Hilary Swank has done us all a big favor in producing and then starring in this wonderful movie about a group of students given up as ineducable by everyone else in her new school and district. She is a brand new teacher with all the hopes and dreams of making a difference, and most of the adults in her vicinity spend their time smirking behind her back and telling her to her face that she is being a typically ridiculous new teacher. They know it all, having been there themselves, and have given up on themselves as change-makers, and on their students as potentially the fertile ground upon which a rich harvest might be cultivated.

What they don't know is that they either didn't have the magic that Swank portrays (this is based on the story of a real teacher), or they gave up much too quickly. Swank's character gets few breaks from almost anyone, except perhaps, her very successful father, who would rather she had chosen a career as a lawyer, but respects what she is trying to do. Attempts to pass on long-term teacherly/administrative cynicism to Swank fail miserably, as do the attempts of her new husband to make her be more reasonable in her demands on herself, her time, and her energy. He just wishes to have her remain a more devoted wife.

This movie is ultimately the story of far too many of the students in our country, who live their lives expecting the failure they are promised by their own educational system. The actors who portray them are finely honed characterizations with little in the way of relief from some of the most painful of real life accounts.

If you are a new teacher, a student, a parent, a citizen of this country which seems to be slipping rapidly in its promises to its students and its own future, this movie is a must. If you are simply someone who wants to watch a well-made, honest piece of film, this is a must. See it and believe it.

I stand in awe.......2007-09-11

The power of this movie lies in its truth-telling. Based on a true story, and the talent and dedication of both Hillary Swank (the star) and Erin Gruwell (the teacher the movie is based on), this movie tells the story of a pebble dropped in a pond that is creating a tsunami of crucial change. This is more than "To Sir with Love," or "Dangerous Minds," because it is a true story that is ongoing.

This movie says that one person, doing the right thing and staying true to their vision, can make a difference one day at a time. The story of Room 203 became the book, then the movie, then the Foundation. Even if the only people changed were the original students in Room 203, that would be more than many teachers have been able to accomplish. Even if only the people touched by the book had been changed, that would be a miracle. Even if only the people who saw the movie "got it," that would be amazing.

And yet, there's layers upon layers of miracles in this story, a story about confronting racism, classism, poverty and violence with true education.

I stand in awe.

To Sir, With Love

Dangerous Minds

Lean on Me

Stand and Deliver

A very well-acted, well written, and well directed movie.......2007-09-08

The subject matter is all over the place in other reviews and in the description of the movie, so no sense in rehashing all that in this review, other than to say that the story is utterly compelling - and when I watched the movie, I had no idea it was based on a true story. When the end credits rolled and it made mention of the real people, I was blown away! I can't believe someone exists as amazing as that teacher.

But, plotline aside, you the review reader are more interested in whether the people who put this together pur it together in a way that is actually good.

Yes, they did!

Acting is topnotch all around. Some very brilliant directing, with great emotional use of lighting, shadows, hand-held cam, and so forth.

It feels very real, and dips into the pathos of the characters without getting saccharine or sentimental about it, or portraying a naive sort of neanderthalism.

My only complaint is that the other teacher - I can't remember her name, but she was played by the woman who played the bad lady in The Order of the Phoenix - is one-dimensionally nasty. We never see another side of her. While I don't doubt that she was based on a real person, I can't believe that anyone is that one dimensional. It seemed a rather cheap trick on the part of the writers and director to make her entire being the "bad person", without any humanity. This is one of the reasons I have to give this a four star instead of five.

The other reasons are minor, involving a few slipshod acting moments, the occasional uninspired camera shot, and so forth.

But overall, this is definitely a 4 star, probably a 4.5 star, movie that should go on any movie collector's shelves just for being a well made movie, and should be on other people's shelves for the inspiring, beautiful story that it tells.

Would that all Americans were as amazing as Erin Gruwell.

Outstanding Movie.......2007-09-05

I am an educator and it truly showed the dedication of a true teacher. I loved this movie.......

Movie in Tolerance and Inspiration.......2007-08-30

This movie is based on the book "The Freedom Writers diary: how a teacher and 150 teens used writing to change themselves and the world around them" by the Freedom Writers and Erin Gruwell. It is an inspiring and uplifting movie, a true story about a teacher in a racially divided school who gives her students a chance to learn that they is a world beyond the one they can see in front of them. Erin Gruwell comes to a southern California high school and discovers that her unruly classroom is not easily won over by her good intentions. She eventually gives them the assignment of keeping journals about their own lives, This assignment is something that anyone can do, write anything they want daily without having to worry about being judged. This assignment and her willingness to listen is what bond the class together. The movie shows that regardless of where you are now in your life, what background, race or culture you come from; that anything is possible if you are willing to work and just try.

Average customer rating:

This DVD is flwed
Glad it's Mad
It's a funny funny funny funny movie
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad... It's a Must... !
Love the laughs, but I agree the format needs improvement

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Starring: Spencer Tracy , Milton Berle , Sid Caesar , Buddy Hackett , and Ethel Merman
Director: Stanley Kramer
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000CBY1C
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Amazon.com

Stanley Kramer's sprawling 1963 comedy about a search for buried treasure by at least a dozen people--all played by well-known entertainers of their day--is the kind of mass comedy that Hollywood hasn't made in many years. (Another example from around the same time is Blake Edwards's The Great Race.) After a number of strangers (including Milton Berle, Jonathan Winters, Sid Caesar, Phil Silvers, and others) witness a dying stranger (Jimmy Durante) identify the location of hidden money, a conflict-ridden hunt begins, watched over carefully by a suspicious cop (Spencer Tracy). The ensuing two and a half hours of mayhem has its ups and downs--some bits and performers are certainly funnier than others. But Kramer, who is better known for socially conscious, serious cinema (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?), is in a mood for broad comic characterization, and some of his jokes are so intentionally obvious (Durante literally kicks a bucket when he dies), they'd have a place in Airplane! Watch for lots of cameo appearances, including Jerry Lewis (who had called Kramer and asked him why he hadn't been invited to participate). --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

This DVD is flwed.......2007-09-01

Like many of you, this is one of my favorite movies of all times. I bought the DVD a couple of years ago, and although it wasn't a 'perfect' copy, it was suitable for my needs. Missing was the overture, color timing, and a number a 'jittering scenes' probably due to the conversion to DVD process. The extra 'behind the scenes' feature is well worth the price of the DVD, however, if you are looking for perfection- you will not find it here. Last week, 8/25/07, Turner Classic Movies Cable Channel did present the "PERFECT" COPY. Why this copy didn't make it to the DVD, I would like to know. This had the overture, intermission & exit music- along with all of the extra scenes that had been chopped out of the movie years ago. Colors in the opening credits were vibrant and changes as when presented in the theater- and is in Wide Screen. And although this was shown on the Cinerama Screens, it was not filmed in Cinerama- but in Ultra-Panavision (which is a different film technology altogether). I 'DVR"ed this copy and plan to transfer it to a DVD soon. If you love this movies as an event, as much as I, make sure you DVR this movie the next time it's on Turner Classic Movies. This is the 2nd time I've seen it so they probably run it again. Please check out this link for more info- and scrool down to VERSIONS:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It's_a_Mad,_Mad,_Mad,_Mad_World#Versions

Glad it's Mad.......2007-08-10

If it isn't already, this is certainly destined to be a cult film.

Some of my favorite scenes:

Jerry Lewis running over Spencer Tracy's hat. Lewis' facial expressions are a delight.

Phil Silvers waving bye-bye in the rear view mirror to Jonathan Winters
after ditching him in the desert.

Jonathan Winters wrecking the service station.

A heavily hung-over Jim Backus on the pool table as Mickey Rooney and Buddy Hackett try to revive him.

And of course, beatniks Dick Shawn and the dead-pan Barrie Chase shakin'
it up to the Shirelles' kooky lyrics:

"Got a baby who can give me 31 flavors,
and we like tutti-frutti best,
I call him Ice Cream Joe,
he is the most delicious boy I know,
everytime his tasty lips are kissing mine,
he gives me 31 flavors,
and we like tutti-frutti best,
I just love him so,
he's my confectionary Ice Cream Joe,
everytime I kiss him I feel mighty fine,
I love his 31 flavors,
and we like tutti-frutti best,
pineapple fruit - coconut and banana, some of the fruit,
chocolate too, and tell him right that when we kiss,
he give me 31 flavors,
and we like tutti-frutty best..."

A truly Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad scene. Gotta love it!

It's a funny funny funny funny movie.......2007-08-09

Think of a huge ensemble of the major comics of the day, throw in Spencer Tracy (in his last - a comical - role), situations that defy the imagination and you've got a great comedy. Never a dull moment and you get to see where some of the greats of the genre came from.

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad... It's a Must... !.......2007-08-04

Although there are a few excellent Comedies made in the fifties and sixties, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" is unbeatable, unforgettable and a remarkable movie production identifying the many traditional American life and family values besides those not so respectable ones. Behavior, Ambition, Consciousness, Cheat & Trick... they are all there. A very funny story made in a very intelligent way. Does it sound too serious? Couldn't be so easy and amusing, yet fast going with something new and unexpected at every second scene!
Undoubtless my favorite movie ever!

Love the laughs, but I agree the format needs improvement.......2007-08-01

I agree with everyone here, this is one of the funniest movies ever made. I'm with the other guy who said there was originally 192 minutes in the 1963 premiere - and the aspect ratio was 2.76:1. I have never seen a video release that was ever done correctly, with this running length and aspect ratio. MGM, let's do a full-on correct release finally of this great classic, with every frame restored and packed with special features. Maybe even a featurette on Cinerama and the overall history of widescreen movies would be a good addition on Disc 2. Hey fellow fans, how do we get a letter-writing campaign started at MGM? It worked for Superman II!

Out of the Blue - The Definitive Investigation of the UFO Phenomenon

Average customer rating:

mr anderson is a wrong!!!
4 Definitive Reasons...
Brilliant Film
UFO: reality bites
a review from a discerning Christian's perspective

Out of the Blue - The Definitive Investigation of the UFO Phenomenon
Starring: Peter Coyote
Manufacturer: Hannover House
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000VD0RO
Release Date: 2004-06-22

Customer Reviews:

mr anderson is a wrong!!!.......2007-09-06

This documentary is very well done.Faster than light is possble IF you know about micro wave technology,megnetic wave technology,and and infra red wave technology.We have barely scrached the surface of these power emiting technologies.This documentary is a ver good,sober and thought provoking subject.We disbielieve the govermant on iraq but accept what they say about UFO'S!!??

4 Definitive Reasons..........2007-09-04

...why aliens have never visited us:

1. The laws of physics don't allow it
Folks, the nearest star is 4 light years away. This means it takes light 4 years to travel from there to Earth. In order for space travel to be realistic you would need a craft that travels greater than the speed of light. Unfortunately, in order for matter to travel AT the speed of light you would need an infinite amount of energy. Apparently the aliens have a gas tank that holds multiple infinite amounts of energy.

2. The Federal Government is one of the most incompetent entities ever created
One argument for lack of evidence is due to the government's ability to keep people from talking. Gee, why don't the feds use this fabulous influence they have over people to stop murder, rape, robbery, etc. They couldn't keep Watergate or Iran-Contra a secret, but somehow they are able to keep a lid on the greatest story in human history (for 60-some years, no less)?

3. MONEY!!!
People risk their lives & freedom every day for relatively paltry amounts of money compared to what could be earned being the first person to come forward with credible evidence of itelligent alien life. Successful theives, robbers, embezzlers, spies and the like are paupers compared to these potential riches.

4. YouTube
The use of video & photographic technology has ballooned in the past 30 years. You'd think at the very least a chance encounter would have been captured by now; certainly there are enough people walking around with the technology right in their pockets to make this happen, yet there is still no *definitive* evidence of aliens or their spaceships.

When a documentary like this appears on 60 Minutes instead of the SciFi Channel then I'll start paying attention.

Brilliant Film.......2007-04-12

This documentary has some interviews that I'm amazed took place at all. In fact, 2 of the people interviewed died shortly after. *Spooky Music Plays*

For those of you who are looking at the $239 price tag on this thing, don't worry, because this film is being re-made as we speak. New soundtrack, new interviews, and I'm sure a few other goodies to boot.

This DVD is well worth seeing. If you have an abundance of cash, go ahead and buy this original version. If not, hold on a while and get the updated version once it hits the scene.

UFO: reality bites.......2007-02-11

"Out of the Blue" is a really interesting doco presenting both a worldwide collated visual data on UFO, and political games surrounding the phenomena unexplained.

A DVD set of "The KGB Secret Files" about space abductions, UFO and alliances is a logical extension to info this film has provided.

a review from a discerning Christian's perspective.......2007-02-02

This was a pretty intriguing video. Anytime you have a collection of testimony of UFO's from generals, presidents, and astronauts, along with footage of "UFO's", you got a darned entertaining video.

A few knocks against it before I make the faint theoretical biblical tie-in. This ting is way expensive and hard to track down for cheap (I've never seen a DVD go from like 15 bucks to $120 used!!! What's up? Can't the producers, or discovery channel, or whoever make some more of these if they're so popular? The government doesn't really give a hoot, methinks, do they?)

Another bone I have to pick: Don't the supposed "UFO" sightings in Bejing, China and the Miami skyline LOOK REMARKABLY LIKE BLIMPS REFLECTING LIGHT!!!?????

I find it hard to believe that they're anything else considering that like only one guy with a camera took the time to spot this thing if it really was a UFO when there's like millions of people around these two areas, especially.

Anywho, the Phoenix deal is very compelling; it would help if the video focused a little more on the many more photos of that deal that I think exist,... and to be balanced perhaps question military officials on what else it could be, like some type of holographic weapons design or something.

As for "UFO's" in the bible? Well, there are a number of far left theories about the "cloud of fire" that traveled around Moses and the like. I've also seen documentaries in which fairly dated paintings of the Virgin Mary and the Christ child have what appear to be a metallic disc in the air in the background. The vision of Ezekiel (Ezekiel chapter 1) is certainly a compelling story about beings looking out from windows of discs, "wheels within the wheels", in which the bible declares that "the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels" -- a clear indication that these supposedly angelic beings were operating in some type of mechanical transport. If Godly angels operate using these things... then what about the fallen angels taking advantage of technology? That of course is where the extreme right church view comes in: that all UFO's are either demonic deception or actually demons themselves in transport.

For an open, yet not-too-fanatical biblical debate on the matter, I suggest checking out Pastor Chuck Missler (of Calvary Chapel) and some of his teachings, which include a video entitled "Return of the Nephilim" I believe. This biblical theory suggests that the flood came because angels (the sons of God) came into the "daughters of men" (Genesis 6) producing a race of supposed supernatural beings denoted as the nephilim (which are actually the UFO aliens). Pretty interesting theories; many in the Calvary Chapel movement, for the record, totally despise the guy.

And while you're there on Missler's site, you can check out stuff about Jesus. He's pretty interesting too, you know.

Speaking of, one reviewer (John Marvel) states that people who follow this stuff are doing so out of ignorance and boredom. I suggest looking at that cat's reviews. Yeah, .....sleepers. And most of his reviews are on stuff he himself gave a one star rating!!! How sad is that? Who's got the mundane life now, buddy?

Average customer rating:

Slow Starter - great ending!
Why so negative?
Move along, folks, nothing to see here
Uncrash!
Crash Course

Crash (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Karina Arroyave , Dato Bakhtadze , Sandra Bullock , Don Cheadle , and Art Chudabala
Director: Paul Haggis
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
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ASIN: B000A3XY5A
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Amazon.com

Movie studios, by and large, avoid controversial subjects like race the way you might avoid a hive of angry bees. So it's remarkable that Crash even got made; that it's a rich, intelligent, and moving exploration of the interlocking lives of a dozen Los Angeles residents--black, white, latino, Asian, and Persian--is downright amazing. A politically nervous district attorney (Brendan Fraser) and his high-strung wife (Sandra Bullock, biting into a welcome change of pace from Miss Congeniality) get car-jacked by an oddly sociological pair of young black men (Larenz Tate and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges); a rich black T.V. director (Terrence Howard) and his wife (Thandie Newton) get pulled over by a white racist cop (Matt Dillon) and his reluctant partner (Ryan Phillipe); a detective (Don Cheadle) and his Latina partner and lover (Jennifer Esposito) investigate a white cop who shot a black cop--these are only three of the interlocking stories that reach up and down class lines. Writer/director Paul Haggis (who wrote the screenplay for Million Dollar Baby) spins every character in unpredictable directions, refusing to let anyone sink into a stereotype. The cast--ranging from the famous names above to lesser-known but just as capable actors like Michael Pena (Buffalo Soldiers) and Loretta Devine (Woman Thou Art Loosed)--meets the strong script head-on, delivering galvanizing performances in short vignettes, brief glimpses that build with gut-wrenching force. This sort of multi-character mosaic is hard to pull off; Crash rivals such classics as Nashville and Short Cuts. A knockout. --Bret Fetzer

Stills from Crash (click for larger image)

Description

They all live in Los Angeles. And in the next 36 hours, they will collide.

Customer Reviews:

Slow Starter - great ending!.......2007-09-16

I kind of bailed on this movie about half way through - my wife kept watching it. I came back and sat down about 3/4 of the way through and it was just getting interesting.

Really points out how our stereotypes and preconceptions can get in the way of us living our life as we should.

Why so negative?.......2007-09-15

Crash is not a terrible film, I think people were just mad this film won best picture at the Academy Awards over Brokeback Mountain (which is the better movie but oh well) I like Crash, it is accurate portrayal of how nasty we treat each other. This movie features in all-star cast including: Matt Dillion, Thandie Newton, Don Cheadle, Brendan Fraiser, Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Espisto, and Ryan Phillipe. But there is one actor who ruins the film for me a bit, Ludarcis! Jeez talk about being a ham! Crash opened my eyes and hopefully it will do the same for others. This is a good film, give it a chance!

Move along, folks, nothing to see here.......2007-09-05

Overrated, underwhelming, hackneyed, workmanlike, insipid dialogue, Cheadle is weak along with most of the cast. What's all the hubbub, bub? Just because Hollywood makes a movie about racial issues doesn't make it good. You'd think the opposite would be true, and you'd be right.
Pass.

Uncrash!.......2007-08-31

The human element, the touch of our lives everyday. The director of Crash did a superb job to bring all of the pain, love, race animosity, ignorance toward indifference and the human attachment and approval what all of us so much desire all into one unforgettable movie.

Crash Course.......2007-08-30

I remember being at an Oscars party here in San Francisco the year this movie won the Academy Award, and the shout of dismay that went through the room when "we" were cheated out of an Oscar for Brokeback Mountain. One fellow explained to me that the Oscars were voted on by a bunch of wealthy white people in Beverly Hills who were scared out of their minds by the prospect of being carjacked by blacks with guns. And that's why CRASH won, out of a superstitious dread reckoning. Then why didn't BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES win, fool--asked I--instead it's been universally reviled as one of the worst movies of all time.

They had plenty of answers to that one, but on the whole I was satisfied with the explanation fed me. But finally I got to see CRASH on DVD and I was pleasantly shocked to find myself enjoying every moment! OK, so it was pretty preposterous, and OK, maybe white people like William Fichtner don't unleash their racial prejudices on black men like Don Cheadle every day of their working lives. I found CRASH an interesting meta-movie, not so much about race as about the whole idea of "interlock" especially as it has become the common language to movies today.

Seems like every other picture you see is all about, picking up the loose ends from act one and resolving them in some unexpected way--and that's all they're about. If a girl gets up in the morning, and the camera shows her choosing between a red dress and a white dress at her closet, and she picks the red dress, by the end of the movie there will be a scene that is supposed to make you cry out, "She should have picked the white dress!" Indeed no image in cinema is photographed without a planned payoff, and that's why US movies are so by the book, even the cleverly juggled ones like PULP FICTION, and now CRASH. When the Persian liquor store owners ask their beautiful, professional daughter what time she has to go to work, and she replies, "Not until ten," there isn't a movie goer alive who doesn't know that-- much later on in the movie--her occupation will be a crucial reveal in the movie. When Don Cheadle's bleary-eyed, Ethel Waters of a mother moans about "Don Cheadle, when are you going to bring home your little brother?" we just know there's going to be more about the brother, and smart moviegoers are taking bets on which character is was going to turn out to be. At first I was sure it was Sandra Bullock, perhaps passing for white to pose as the "wife" of slick DA Brendan Fraser, constantly snappish maybe to conceal the fact that "she" was really a light-skinned black man. I still think that would have been a better ending than the one we got.

But nevertheless did I like this, or Cronenberg's CRASH better, I say this. Both pictures may play equally to the racial fears of white North Americans, but at least this one didn't have James Spader, who must have been busy when they were casting for Brendan Fraser's part, which I consider a break for everyone involved.

Average customer rating:

Ghost Rider
Not to Cheesie
Ghost Rider, fast paced
Constantine meets the Prophecy trilogy
Nicely done!

Ghost Rider (Extended Cut) [Blu-ray]
Starring: Nicolas Cage
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000OVLBIU
Release Date: 2007-06-12

Amazon.com

Once intended as a feature for Johnny Depp, the long-germinating feature film adaptation of Marvel Comics' cult title Ghost Rider stars Nicolas Cage as motorcyclist Johnny Blaze, who transforms into a skull-faced angel of vengeance to battle the forces of evil. Though perhaps a bit too mature for the role, Cage brings a degree of humor to the outrageous proceedings; he's well matched by the Easy Rider himself Peter Fonda, amusingly cast as Mephistopheles, the demon with whom Blaze strikes a bargain to save his father, and in turn, causes his transformation into Ghost Rider. Wes Bentley is also fine as Blackheart, the rebellious offspring of Mephistopheles, and Blazes' chief opponent in the film. They're joined by a solid supporting cast which includes Donal Logue, Eva Mendes, and Sam Elliott, but their participation and a relentless barrage of CGI effects can't hide the fact that the story itself, though largely faithful to its comic origins, is rife with clichéd characterizations and glum B-movie dialogue. Fans of the venerable title may cry foul over this adaptation (as they did over helmer Mark Steven Johnson's previous comic-to-movie feature, Daredevil), but less stringent viewers may enjoy the fiery visuals and Cage's typically quirky performance. --Paul Gaita

Extras from Ghost Rider

Visit our Exclusive Ghost Rider Microsite
Visit the Site

Beyond Ghost Rider at Amazon.com

The Game
CD Soundtrack
Ghost Rider: Road To Damnation

Stills from Ghost Rider (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

Ghost Rider.......2007-09-17

This movie did not live up to my expectations. I was expecting funny but what I got was completely different. Still a good movie but another one I am glad I did not go to the theaters and see.

Not to Cheesie.......2007-09-10

This was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Special effects are not that bad, Mr Nic Cage does a great job with what it is.

Ghost Rider, fast paced.......2007-09-09

Nicholas Cage (Gone in 60 Seconds) and Sam Elliott (Conagher), two giants and persaonal favorites. Make a pact with the devil and pay the price as did Johnny Blaze. Super adventure movie.

Constantine meets the Prophecy trilogy.......2007-09-09

I have to say that I am not familiar with any Ghost Rider comics, games or had had any other contact with the character apart from this movie so I cannot compare the character to other sources, nor can I take part in discussing the technicalities and the specifics like other reviewers have. Therefore, coming from someone that did not "know" Johnny Blaze prior to the film I have to say that the movie was pretty good!
Ghost Rider brings to the screen the story of a young man who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for curing his father's cancer.
There are slight hints of the X-Files, and strong/obvious elements of the Ninth Gate (starring Johnny Depp), Constantine (starring Keanu Reeves), and the Prophecy trilogy (starring Christopher Walkin), so the movie falls into the action/adventure/mystery/thriller/horror type of category.
Nicolas Cage and most of the rest of the cast carry out their performances well (Blackheart and Mephistopheles could have been played much better).
The plot, the setting, the dialogues, the music, and the special effects, are all good.
Ghost Rider is a movie guaranteed to provide for an evening's entertainment.
In short, I would definitely line up to watch a sequel!

Nicely done!.......2007-09-07

I grew up reading the comics of the Ghost Rider and loved it. So, when Nicolas Cage and Eva Mendes were cast in this, I was less than hopeful. Didn't even see it in the theatres since I was expecting something along the lines of Daredevil, ie. a horrible adaptation serving as nothing more than a vehicle for the actors in the movie. I gotta say, I was very surprised. It was faithful to the comic while giving the story it's own spin. The casting and the effects was great and they even tipped their hat to the original Ghost Rider comic which was a western. Nicely done!

Watching this in Blu-Ray was amazing!! The colors, clarity and sound sucked you right into the movie. I hope they make another and take full advantage of what a great character they have. Just make him a tad darker in the next one. I'd like to see the flaming skull head that laughs as he sears the souls of his enemies.

Ghost Rider (Extended Cut) [Blu-ray]

Average customer rating:

Saw this at the neighborhood movie house, hows that for a
Elvis In His Prime In Totally Enjoyable Hawaiian Romance
Blue Hawaii
Wow!!
Amazon---Greatest Quality

Blue Hawaii
Starring: Elvis Presley , Joan Blackman , Angela Lansbury , Nancy Walters , and Jenny Maxwell
Director: Norman Taurog
Manufacturer: Paramount
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ASIN: 6305837708
Release Date: 2000-05-02

Amazon.com

Elvis Presley's seventh film was the first of his "Hawaii trilogy" (including Girls! Girls! Girls! and Paradise, Hawaiian Style). While its story is daft--the King has just been released from his Army posting in Italy and returned to the islands, where he's trying to avoid working in his father's fruit business--the music is not: "Blue Hawaii," "Almost Always True," and the beautiful "Can't Help Falling in Love." Angela Lansbury plays Elvis's mother, who can't seem to get through to him. Directed by the star's frequent collaborator, Norman Taurog (G.I. Blues). --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Saw this at the neighborhood movie house, hows that for a.......2007-08-16

blast from the past? I was 10 and I thought how handsome Elvis was, and how blue the sky in Hawaii was. The Technicolor is terrific. Just like a Doris Day film. No real plot but you just can't beat Hawaii for sheer beauty. Pure fun, no calories. Enjoy!

Elvis In His Prime In Totally Enjoyable Hawaiian Romance.......2007-07-13

I most certainly am not going to refer to the 1961 Elvis Presley movie "Blue Hawaii", as a "guilty pleasure", it's a pleasure, pure and simple. To see Elvis Presley in his legendary prime in a romantic vehicle totally suited to his talents "Blue Hawaii", is one of the best films of his to try and catch. For a "60's child", like myself this film is a wonderful nostalgic excursion into times long gone by when I first saw this film as a youngster on a double bill with another Presley vehicle "Kid Galahad", at the local Theatre. I guess that's alot of the appeal of "Blue Hawaii", devoid as it is of any deep meanings or seriousness which nevertheless makes it an ideal way to spend some time. Combining some great songs handled with the usual smoothness and expertise by the "King", himself, a terrific supporting cast which includes a priceless performance by muli talented Angela Lansbury as Elvis' mother, and some of the most gorgeous Hawaiian scenery you could imagine, the film is entertaining as both a musical and as a travel log of Hawaii in all its natural beauty. Elvis made another enjoyable opus in Hawaii titled "Paradise, Hawaiian Style" in 1966 however I feel "Blue Hawaii", ties in closer with the Elvis Presley legend making it the one film of his to see if you want a quick snapshot of what made him such a special and much loved performer.

Blue Hawaii.......2007-06-02

Fun movie to watch for an old classic. Great scenery. Kind of chessy but fun.

Wow!!.......2007-05-25

This is one of the most fun movies to watch!!!
The scenery is awsome. As well as the movie itself. It is funny and just a fun one to kick back and forget everything.
Enjoy this one with the entire family.

Amazon---Greatest Quality.......2007-05-13

Brand new,great quality always feel safe dealing with Amazon.For the BEST
deals in quality and service,you just can't beat Amazon.

DVD:

Playin' for the Kitty